State of Time: Beginnings Series Book 6

by Jacqueline Druga

  There wasn’t a part of his body that didn’t grow colder as Elliott made his way through the extremely drafty halls of the home. He was grateful for the red bandana he wore. In fact most of the men wore bandanas. Not as a statement, but as a sense of warmth. Elliott didn’t mind forfeiting his black locks when he was recruited into what he thought was the ‘New United States Army’. He didn’t mind until his one cohort did what he always seemed to do, charmed his way into keeping his long dark blonde hair. Elliott supposed that was why his cohort was the undeniable leader of the crew. He could convince anyone to do anything. In fact he was the one that had convinced Elliott to join the army twelve years earlier when all Elliott ever wanted to do was work in his father’s shoe factory outside of Cleveland.

  The Captain. For so many years before the plague, Elliott had called him the Captain--or Lieutenant pre-promotion--that Elliott swore he had forgotten his real name. Everyone called him ‘The Captain’ and that was who Elliott journeyed through the spooky house to see.

  In the sitting room doorway, Elliott stopped. He took a moment to chuckle at the Captain who sat alone in a chair by a small fireplace, a chair that probably had been graced by the rear of Robert E. Lee many times. The Captain sat reading, his tall, brawny body looking small in the piece of old furniture. Piles of papers spewed around him.

  “More productive night?” Elliott questioned as he stepped in.

  Looking up, the man, not much older than Elliott, grinned. “Very productive. I got a lot more than I expected but still not enough.”

  “You’re not going back into Quantico again, are you?” Elliott asked.

  “I have to.” The Captain shifted a piece of paper. “I need to get all I can before we move on. I knew something was up when I saw Hadley arrive. And this documentation, though not much, confirms it.”

  “You do know they’ll kill you if they catch you.”

  “Elliott,” The Captain chuckled. “They probably are looking for someone sneaking in. Hell, I walked right through the front gate in a society uniform. Besides, if something happens to me, you’ll lead the men.”

  “Me?” Elliott laughed. “Me? No. I’m no leader.”

  “Nonsense. Look how you organized the stylish movement of bandanas.”

  “Oh, really funny.” Elliott shook his head. “We’re all bald.” He gave a sneer to the Captains long ponytail. “Well, all but one of us.”

  The Captain smiled. “How’s the demeanor of the men?”

  “Fine.” Elliott said. “Waiting patiently on your move.” He smiled. “Captain, I have to tell you. This house . . . this house . . .”

  “Is great?”

  “No, it sucks.”

  “Now is that a general consensus or an Elliott opinion only.”

  “O.K., well.” Elliott shrugged. “It’s mine. But . . .”

  “Elliott.” The Captain stood. “Don’t you find the house filled with spirit? Don’t you feel the irony of the past and current situations when staying here?”

  “No.” Elliott said. “I get the creeps. Speaking of irony, I do have a reason for disturbing you in your ‘wanna be Robert E. Lee’ moment.” Elliott handed him the paper. “Definitely Morse code. That’s their means of communication now.”

  The Captain read his notes. “Where’s this Bethel.”

  “Not far. Fifteen miles. Small camp. Dawn hit. A wipe out. And . . . here’s the deal. They think they’re us. So knowing this ...”

  The Captain’s eyes lifted. “We have a moral obligation.”

  “My thoughts exactly.”

  “Run a little pre-dawn interference?”

  “Sure, why not.” Elliott shrugged.

  “Excellent. Let’s go tell everyone.” With a clench to the note, a swat to Elliott’s back, an upbeat Captain walked from the sitting room with Elliott.

  ^^^^

  Beginnings, Montana

  The envelope, a bit crinkled and yellowed, sat on Henry’s coffee table. Just sitting there it gathered the most awestruck stares of Frank, Dean, and Henry.

  “This is so weird.” Frank reached down and touched it. “Dean, you mailed this not that long ago.”

  Henry sat with his personal journals open. “At least we know that letter was the reason it worked. Was it, Robbie? Did that letter prompt you to go to Ashtonville?”

  “Absolutely.” Robbie’s eyes went to the letter. “It was simple. Frank told Dad would call.and say it was imperative I go to Ashtonville. When I read that, I thought how psychic Frank was.”

  “Wow.” Frank was amazed. “So you waited until the year of the plague to open it?”

  “No way.” Robbie laughed. “I opened it right away.”

  “And you still believed it?” Frank asked.

  “Why not.” Robbie answered. “You’re my big brother. Why would I doubt you? Of course now, years later, I’m a little wiser.” He winked.

  Henry took notes as he listened. “So you went there on the onset.”

  “Yep.” Robbie nodded. “As soon as I got the call, I grabbed that letter. I called Hal, but there was no way he’d get there. He was stationed in Hawaii. And Jimmy… Jimmy said he’d try. But I went immediately. I went AWOL.”

  Henry handed Robbie a sheet of paper. “Here’s a list of people we remember being in Ashtonville. Anyone different that wasn’t or was there that could have made an effect we don’t know about?”

  Robbie reviewed the list. “Just me.” He handed it back to Henry.

  “Good.” Henry breathed out. “We don’t want to not remember someone we should. I have some other events that happened. Can you fill us in?

  “I’ll try.” Robbie tossed his hands up. “Fire away.”

  “Colorado.” Henry said. “Obviously the scientists were defrosted. What went down with Colorado?”

  “El and Miguel went. They tried to keep El. Frank went after her,” Robbie stated.

  “Wait.” Frank interrupted. “Why would I trust Miguel over you? Why didn’t I send you to Colorado?”

  “I was supposed to go.” Robbie answered. “But I broke my leg in a trap the night before. It’s finally feeling really good.”

  Henry flipped a page in his journal. “Now I have written, El and I went back to save Dean.”

  “Yep.” Robbie nodded. “Well, that’s what we’re told. I never knew the Dean is dead history. What I recall is being locked in holding with Frank awaiting our ousting. My Dad shows up walking. George escaped.”

  Dean decided to interject. “So Joe was still hit with the Salicain? I saw by my notes we’re still working on the virus. What about the time machine to find the society.”

  Robbie nodded. “Find them or, as Frank believes, find what we have that’s so important. Personally, I think it’s me.” Robbie grinned.

  “Strategically where do we stand with the society?” Frank asked.

  “Haven’t had any hits by them lately so we definitely think they’re taking time to build. Right now our pain in the ass problem is our budding savages.” Robbie saw that the three of them knew exactly what he talked about. “In and out of Beginnings, we think, but not sure. They keep messing with perimeter seven.”

  Frank understood. “What about our personal lives? El and I are married, I know that. And we’re obviously having problems since she’s bunking here with Henry. But tell me, tell me she and I have always been together.”

  Robbie shook his head and pointed to Dean. “She was with Dean for a really long time, Frank. You kept interfering and Dean finally said enough is enough. But you and her are working through this. It kind of went full circle and Ellen ended up cheating on you with Dean.”

  It was a relief to Dean. Even though their personal lives were still the same scrambled mess, they were a familiar ground they could stand on. “So you played no interference in the relationship aspects?”

  “No.” Robbie shook his head. “Oh.”

  “What?” Frank asked.

  “Well, you may find out. You may not. You know what?�
�� Robbie waved his hand. “I’m not saying anything.”

  Dean’s eyes lifted to Robbie in slow revelation. “You slept with Ellen.”

  Frank scoffed. “Oh he did not, Dean. See where your warped perverted mind is at? Robbie said nothing about him . . .” Frank saw Robbie’s eyes lift in an innocent manner to the ceiling. “No.”

  “Well.” Robbie stood up slowly. He saw the glare in Frank’s eyes. “No, wait,” He defended. “It was a short time after the plague. She shut everyone out but me. And I believe that’s because I stayed by El’s side the whole entire time. The whole time, just like your letter said.”

  Frank’s nostrils flared as he tried to control the hard hit of the news. “I’m not happy about this.”

  “Yeah, well. You weren’t back then either,” Robbie said.

  Henry decided to divert the subject. “What about you and me, Robbie. Do we get along?”

  “No.” Robbie replied as he sat back down. “We clash, our tempers flare, and occasionally we square off. Actually I’d go as far as to day we hate each other.”

  Henry whistled a breath in relief. “Oh good, because I just needed to feel justified for not liking you very much right now.”

  “You know we wouldn’t have these problems right now,” Robbie said with a slightly raised top lip, “if you didn’t take advantage of my emotional vulnerability and convince me to have that affair with you.”

  “Oh my God!” Henry nearly flew back. “I’m gay in this Beginnings?”

  “Flaming.” Robbie winked.

  “See.” Frank pointed. “What did I always say, Henry. You bitch too much like a woman to not be gay. And you broke my brother’s heart. Shame on you.”

  “Now, see.” Henry shook his head. “Now I know you’re lying. You probably put him up to this.” Henry cringed at Frank’s laughter. “Yeah, laugh. Assholes.” He saw Dean stand up. “See, you offended Dean.”

  “No,” Dean snickered. “I’m just gonna go home. Josh will want to bring the kids back from Frank’s. Thanks, Robbie you told us a lot.”

  “Yeah.” Frank stood up too. “We’ll talk tomorrow Robbie. I’ll go get the kids, Dean. Bring them right . . .”

  “Wait.” Robbie stood up. “I answered questions for you guys, answer me this. Not that it matters now, but I’m curious. Frank said I didn’t arrive in Ashtonville. It took years for me to get here. What happened to me?”

  Frank hesitated, but took a deep breath to start his explanation. “See Robbie, you searched for us. For five years you looked. You lived out there and when you got here you were . . .”

  “Sick.” Dean interrupted in a fast speaking manner. “Very, very sick. A major infection had taken over your body and . . .” Dean slowed down his talking. “By the time you got here, it was too late. We couldn’t help you. You died not long after.”

  “Well at least I found my family right?” Robbie smiled. “I succeeded. Thanks for telling me. I’ll walk out with you guys.” He moved to the door. “Hey, night Henry,” Robbie said snidely.

  Henry, looking at his journals and history, lifted his head in a snubbing manner pretending not to see Robbie flip him off.

  Frank laughed as he was the last to walk out. But he slowed down in pulling the door closed to grab Dean’s attention. Behind Robbie’s back, silently, and mostly with his eyes, Frank delivered a ‘thank you’ to Dean for interfering in the painful ‘Robbie’ truth.

  HENRY’S JOURNAL

  November 27

  Oddly enough I am on the last page of this particular journal. And as I close it, I also close another book on the ripple we all caused. A lot of answers were given to me, but I guess I do not know the whole truth. That would be impossible. Too many years have passed. I suppose, there will be times when I am confused when my mind will wonder how bringing Robbie back caused this or that. I must remind myself to not drudge over it…to move on and not worry. There’s nothing that can be done. The changes have been made. Our lives before this now have been sculptured a little differently than we know. A new history is set in stone. And even if ill-informed, I have to accept it. Because this is the way it will be from here on in.

  CHASING TOMORROW

  CHAPTER THREE

  November 28

  Bethel, Virginia

  It looked more like a manual to better football plays, rather than the military manual it was. But Society troop leader, Sgt. Hemsley found the ‘Caceres Society strategic handbook’ quite the asset especially when picking out which maneuver he wanted to use in the dawn raid of that defector camp.

  He liked under sneak attacks, maneuvering CS-422. Especially because it stated that he himself had to stay back while his men went into the opposing camp. And that was what Sgt. Hemsley did. Stayed back by the trucks, a mile or so away, and waited.

  Corporal Warren gave a simple single chirping sound, his signal to the society soldiers that it was time to move in on the sleeping camp. So quiet the camp was, but on his call, the soldiers barged in. Weapons raised, they opened fire across the tents, ripping them to shreds. They followed through with the tossing of grenades. The small fire arms rained upon the camp causing the finishing off explosions that sent dirt and debris into the air.

  And then silence.

  “Hold your fire,” Corporal Warren called out. “Hold your fire.”

  A shot here and there trailed off.

  Corporal Warren assessed the camp. There were no sounds. Only the dead quiet that they anticipated following the slaughter of fire that the society lay upon them. “Move in!” he ordered out.

  Weapons lifted still ready to engage, the society patrol moved in slowly.

  Corporal Warren reached the center camp along with his men. “Anyone you find alive, shoot. And . . .” He stopped talking when he heard the whistle, just a single one. He turned his head thinking it was one of his men. Before he could find who signaled him, it rang around them in a frightening thunder, the shifting and pumping of weapon chambers. “What the hell?” Corporal Warren looked about. He saw nothing. No one.

  “Fire at will!” The Captain’s voice rang out across the silent camp. And on his charge, the gunfire began.

  Perched in trees and hidden in the brush, the forty-four men who would have died in that raid, along with the defectors, unleashed a bloody death upon the thirty-two unsuspecting society soldiers. The bodies were ripped apart by bullets that came from gunmen they never saw. The tables had been turned.

  The first symphony of gunfire and explosions were expected but the second sent Sgt. Hemsley into a tailspin. Something was wrong. He could hear the distance screams of pain echoing through the dead world distance. Immediately he jumped in his jeep, tossed it in gear, and sped off down the overgrown road toward the raid.

  The gunfire slowed down and instead of steady shots, occasional pops rang out. The closer he drove, the more he knew something was not right. Knowing this, and knowing someone had to report the trouble, Sgt. Hemsley decided to turn around. Releasing his foot from the gas and gripping the wheel, Sgt. Hemsley slowed down enough to turn. But as soon as he jerked the wheel to the right, out from the trees, darting across the road was Elliott Ryder.

  Instinctively Sgt. Hemsley hit the brakes. The jeep screeched and slid to a stop at the same time Elliott’s hands slammed onto the hood when the vehicle nearly hit him.

  Both men locked eyes. The stare wasn’t as long as it seemed. Breathing heavily, Elliott, stepped back, and reached for his weapon.

  Sgt. Hemsley did the same and realized he had left his behind. Jeep still running, he hit the gas, jolted the wheel, and just drove off. Even if it wasn’t on the road, he was making his escape.

  Elliott fired at the jeep. But the thick trees that Sgt. Hemsley disappeared into were a shield of nature’s protection. Elliott lowered his weapon in defeat, then turned and headed back toward the Captain to alert him of what happened.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Beginnings, Montana

  “Morning, Dean,” Ellen said semi chip
per as she entered the clinic lab. She turned to her right and stopped cold. She looked at the empty coffee pot. “Dean, if you’re gonna drag my ass to work on a Saturday, you have to make coffee.”

  “Sorry.” Dean looked up from the computer. “I got busy. And, El, thanks for coming by this morning to watch the kids until Hap got there. I really needed to start prepping things for this future trip.”

  “Which by the way . . .” Ellen walked to the counter. “…was there a problem last night?”

  Confused, Dean peered from his work. “No, why?”

  “Frank didn’t bring all the kids home.”

  “Sure he did.” Dean snickered.

  “No, he didn’t. You’re missing one.”

  “Oh.” Dean nodded. “Brian stays with Frank, El.”

  “Not Brian.” Ellen said. “Dean, where’s your son?”

  “Isn’t he home?”

  “No. When I went up to check, he wasn’t in bed.”

  “Oh, my God.” Dean sprang up. “Billy’s missing?”

  “Not Billy.”

  Dean tilted his head with an even more confused look. “El, Frank brought the kids home last night. Who else could it . . .” His eyes widened trying to hide his confusion on how that odd child still existed. “Frank.” He said the same in a complaining manner.

  “What?” Frank answered as he walked into the lab. “I heard the call of greatness.”

  “Asshole.” Dean walked from behind the counter. “Where’s my kid?”

  “Which one?”

  “You know exactly which one.” Dean said. “You were supposed to bring them all home last night. Where is he?”

  “Who?” Frank asked.

  “You know. Um .. .” Dean closed his eyes. “What’s his name.”

  Ellen tapped Dean on the shoulder then folded her arms in an angry stance. “Joey.”